Pinecrest Baptist Church

In these early chapters of the Gospel of Mark, we continue to learn that Jesus is Lord over all forces, powers, and over all of man's fears. Today He encounters a man possessed by the devil whose actions are absolutely crazy! After receiving the compassion of Jesus and the deliverance of the demons, he goes out as a new creature, absolutely crazy to share with others just what Jesus has done in his life.

What is your first response to the storms and trials in life?  Often it can be fear.  The Master of the Storm gives us this lesson in getting our fears in order and what He hopes to accomplish in our lives in the time of storms and difficulties.

It is a privilege of great magnitude to have the Word of God in our lives.  God holds us responsible for our respect, reverence and response to His Word.  Let's look at some ways we can listen and respond to the Word properly.

In this parable about the seed, the sower, and the various types of soil, Jesus delivers a heart exam to the swelling crowds who follow Him just for the next miracle, or the next meal.  The main issue is always the heart!

The words and works of Jesus began to draw lines among His hearers and spawn several opinions of Him as Messiah.  Here are three perspectives among His friends, foes, and family.

In spite of the crowds and the noise all around us, Christ is still calling folks to come and follow Him and serve Him.  Do you hear the call?

Jesus confronted the religious leaders of His day for their adherence to the harshness of the law and all their traditions. He admonished them to not miss the heart of the gospel and to compassionately meet the needs of people. The "Lord of the Sabbath" invites us to rest in Him and not in rituals.

Somehow God in His providence had prepared the heart of Rahab to act in faith and help His people. She moved from the Hall of Shame to the Hall of Fame found in Hebrews chapter 11. Let's be on the lookout for the Rahabs of our day, and share the life giving message of Jesus and His forgiveness!

We all can recall times when we missed a great opportunity.  In this passage of scripture, Levi (Matthew) didn't miss his opportunity to follow Jesus in a new and living way of life.  The religious crowd chose to hang on to the old way of living under the law, and Jesus had to remind them that you can't blend religion with Him.

Living in a fallen world leads to lots of negativity in God's people, and often breeds a spirit of criticism.  Here is what the contentious man looks like, and a remedy for overcoming the contentious spirit.